Spool



Feb. 27, 1962 H. F. BENOIT 3,022,962

sPooL Filed June 2, 1960 JNVENTOR. HENRY F. BE/vo/'T United States Patent O f 3,022,962 SPOOL Henry F. Benoit, P.O. Box 112, Charlton City, Mass. Filed June 2, 1960, Ser. No. 33,583 7 Claims. (Cl. 242--118.61)

This invention relates to improvements in spools for use with mule spinning, carding and like machines and has particular reference to the method of making the same. t

Spools of the character embodying the invention are adapted for use in carrying a plurality of wool strands or the like which are initially wound on the spool and which are thereafter withdrawn therefrom during spinning, carding or like operations. In performing such operations the spools are manually placed on and removed from the machines and must be manually placed in and trucked from one machine to another. spools are relatively large and, when filled with wool strands, are quite heavy and bulky to handle and thereby receive considerable abuse during the handling thereof either from accidental dropping, from bumping the heads of the spools against the frames of the machines during their removal or replacement or from throwing the spools into the trucks by means of which they are conveyed from one machine to another.- One of the primary difculties has been that the ends of the barrels soon became displaced or bent with the result that the heads could not be supported in proper angular relation with the barrel or wererendered too loose for continued There are various types of spools on the market, all of which have attempted to overcome the above difliculties. Some of these spools are provided with a wooden barrel having the heads attached tothe opposed ends thereof by centrally disposed clamp bolts which enabled periodic tightening of the heads. It has been found that during use and due to the abuse which such `devices encountered, the ends of the Wooden barrels would either split or the material thereof became displaced to such an extent that the heads could norlonger be properly angularly disposed relative to the barrel or be suiciently tightened.

Another difficulty has been that such barrels become splintered to such an extent that individuals handling the spools often received severe injuries from slivers and further difficulty was encountered in being unable to freely draw the woolen strands from the barrels.

To overcome this difficulty other spools appeared on the market having the barrel portion thereof formed of tubing to which the heads were attached by centrally disposed relatively long interconnected sections of coil ice in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a spool embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the spool;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 3 3 of FIG. l and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of one end portion of the device embodying the invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on line 5-5 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the various views, the device embodying the invention comprises a Such U barrel 7 formed of hard plastic tubular material or metal of the length and diameter desired of the main body portion of the barrel. Press fitted internally of the opposed ends of the barrel 7 is a cylinder shaped member Shaving an inner closed end wall 9 and a circumferential flange 10 spaced inwardly of the opposed end of said cylinder member. The closed end wall 9 may be formed integrally with the cylinder member 8 or may be attached thereto by welding or the like as indicated at 11 and is provided with a circumferential peripheral stantial, reinforced inner wall for `said barrel 7 to resist spring tensioning means which was designed to relieve the head and barrel connections from shock and'strain as the result of the abuse they receive during the use of the spool. This type of spool did not solve the problem for the ends of the barrel soon became bent and displaced to such an extent that the heads not only loosened but tilted to an undesirable angle and rendered the spools impractical for use.

It, therefore, is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a spool which will overcome all of the above difficulties and which will be durable, resistant to displacement, impact, chipping, bending or splintering and having its head portions attached to the spools in such manner as to prevent the heads from becoming loose or angularly displaced during the use thereof, which will not require periodic tightening and which may be fabricated in a simple and inexpensive manner. l

Other objects 'and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following .description taken l the parts in assembled relation with each other.

the said endsjfrom being dented or collapsed-inwardly. The flange 10 may be formed lintegrally with the cylinder member 8 or may be secured thereto by welding in a manner similar vto the closed end wall 9.

- The flange 10 is rprovided with a plurality of spacedbeveled openings 12 throughout a circumferential path as shown best in FIGS. 2- and 3 and is adapted to lie within a shouldered recess 13 formed in the inner side of the head 14 'as shown best in FIG. 3. The adjacent end of said cylinder member 8 is adapted to extend outwardly of the flange 10 as shown at 15 and to extend inwardly of an opening 16 formed centrally of the head 14.

Overlying the outer surface of the head 14 is a disk 17 preferably formed of metal having a pivot pin 18 formed integrally therewith, with said flange and pin being preferably formedV of steel or other similar hard, wear-resisting metal. Fitted over the pin 18 is a spacer washer or the like 19 which is secured to the outer surface of the disk 17 by Welding or the like. The said disk k17 is provided with spaced openings similar to and aligned with the openings'in the ange 10 and is adapted to receive rivets or the like 20 which extend through similarly formed aligned spaced openings in the head 14 to secure The inner ends of the rivets 20 are ared outwardly to iit vinternally of the tapered openings 12 in the flange lll with the said ends in substantially flush relation with the inner surface of said flange and are provided with outer enlarged heads overlying the disk 17.

The washerlike' member 19 has a shouldered central surface 21 which causes the washerlike members 19 to be of a thickness greater than the thickness ofthe outer heads of the rivets so as to permit free rotation of the spool in its conventional support on spinning or carding mai chines or the like without hindrance from rotation by y being rigidly attached to the respective ends of the barrel.

said outer enlarged heads of the rivets. The head portions of the spool and the associated parts thereof, including the cylindermember 8 and inner wall 9, while 7 by frictionally pressing said cylinder members 8 and end walls 9 into said ends and to a degree wherein the adjacent outer edge surfaces of the barrel 7 engage with the ilanges 1t) to provide a relatively intimate relation therewith to prevent the wool strands or the like which are wound on said spool from becoming wedged inwardly between said ends of the barrel and the ilanges 10 with the result that they cannot be freely drawn from said barrel.

While the head assemblies are provided with the cylinder members 8 and end walls 9 which are relatively long and press tted into the adjacent ends of the barrel 7, they are inwardly biased relative to each other by means of a rod 22 centrally disposed with respect to the barrel 7 and which extends through central openings 23 formed in said end walls to a point spaced inwardly relative to. the inner surfaces of the disks 17. The opposed endsv of said rod 22 are provided with threaded sections 24 adapted to each receive a threaded nut 25. Inwardly between the inner surfaces of the end walls` 9 and the inner Vsurfaces 0f the nuts 25 and in surrounding relation with the adja-V cent ends of the rod 22 there are provided coil springs 26. The tension of said springs is controlled by threading the nuts inwardly ot the respective threaded ends of the rods so as to set up a desired biasing eiect upon the respective heads of the device. This is to overcome the tendency of said heads working loose and requiring retightening during the use of the spool and is further. to resist any tendency of the heads being displaced outwardly of.l the respective ends of the barrel 7 while yetl permitting the said heads to yield in response to impact.

To insure that the nuts 25 do not loosen after once being adjusted to introduce the desired 'tension'to the. springs 26, the opposed ends 27 of the rod 22. are preferably flared over. While vthe heads 14. and the associatedv parts thereof are vdesigned to greatlyresistfimpact. the cylindermemb'ers 8 serve as inner reinforcing means for the respective ends of the barrel 7 while the coil springs 26 serve to permit a limited yieldingy action thereof in response to impact. and further prevent the heads from becoming loose during the use of the spool.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a slight. modilication wherein the ends of the barrel 7 are provided with sleeves 28v preferably formed of steel or otherrigid metal and ofa diameter such that they are intimately. press litted` internally of the respective ends of the barrel 7. The sleeves 28 are of a considerable length so asto provide adequate protection against the end areas of the barrel from being bent or otherwise dellected inwardly .and the outer ends thereof are positioned in iiush relation with the adjacent ends of the barrel to further protect said ends in response to any tilting movement of theheads. In this instance the cylinder members 8 arev formed so as to havey slight inward taper with respect to the inner surfaces of the sleeves 2 8y so as to provide a tapered clearance 29 of approximately no greater than 5 between said cyli'uder'mernbers 8 and the sleeves 28 adjacent the inner end thereof but theropposite or outer portions of said members 8' are so controlled dimensionallyV so as to havea relatively close lit within the outer ends of said sleeves 28.

The inner ends of the tapered cylinder members 8' are cach provided with a solidwall 9 in` a manner similar to the construction illustrated inFIG. 3A with Vthe exception that the said end` walls 9f arel ofv a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the, cylinder members 8. The said cylinder members` 8', on the opposite ends thereof are provided with a. protruded end 15 and with a flange 10' similar to the construction of.. FIG.

3. The remaining construction of the heads are similarl to the construction shown in FIG. 3 and functions in a similar manner.

The cylinder members are formed relatively long so as to provide long inner bearing surfaces with the sleeves 2S when and if the heads are tilted in response to impact and the extent of yielding action of the coil springs are controlled in accordance with the length of said cylinder members to insure that they cannot be displaced outwardly of theends of said sleeves 28 during the use of the spool.

However, in this instance the tapered cylinder members 8' and the associated tie rods and coil springs permit a more free tilting movement of the associated heads in response to impact as well as preventing the heads Ifrom becoming loose and requiring retightening during the use ofthe spool. In this instance, while the heads and associated flanges 10' are permitted to more freely tilt in respouse to impact either from 4an outwardly or inwardly directed force, the sleeves 28 function to prevent the said ends of the barrel 7 from splitting as has been usual with the prior art spools of this nature and the Sleeves 28 further function to resist inward bending or compression of said end portions of the barrel in a manner similar tothe sleeves -8 shown in FIG. 3.

Itis to be understood that heads similar to the heads 14, disks similar to the disks 17 and spacer washers similarto the spacer washers 19 are employed with the present construction with the flanges -ltl'flying within recessed areas in the heads and with. the various parts being secured together by rivets or the like in a manner similar to the construction of-FIG. 3.

It is pointed'out that the barrels 7 or 7' may be formed of suitable plastic materials or metals as desired, all of which are resistant to cracking or splintering.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, eicient and economical means and method have been provided for accomplishing all the objects and advant'ag'esof the invention.- Nevertheless, it should be ap parent that many changes in the details of construction, arrangement of parts and steps ofv the method may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l.r A spool comprising la circular tubular barrel portion ofrelatively rigid material having relatively llat end portions disposedin normal relation with the axis of the barreL'a pair of head portions each having a recess on the inner side surface thereof, an opening centrally thereof and spaced openings extending therethrough in a circumferential path' surrounding said central opening, a cylin' der member of rigid material press fitted internally of each of the ends of said main barrel portion and having Aa closed inner end, a flange of a` diameter greater than said cylinder members on each of said cylinder mem-bers each having an inner side surface internally engaging the respectively relatively at ends of the barrel portion as the v result of press fitting said cylinder members into the ends of said barrel portion, said respective flanges lying within the recesses ofss'aid respective head portions and having their inner surfaces in llush relation with :the inner surfaces of said head portions, said flanges being spaced inwardly from the adjacent outer ends oi the cylinder members thereby providing protruding outer ends extending within the central opening in the respective head portions, said ilanges having spaced openings therein in aligned relation with the openings in the head portions, disks overlying the outer surfaces of said head portions and having spaced openings aligned with the openings in said head portions, said disks having a pivot pin extending outwardly of the central portions thereof in 'aligned axial relation with the axis of the main barrel portion, means extending through the aligned openings in said flange, head portion and disks for securing them together, said inner closed ends of said cylinder members having axial openings therein, a single rigid rod extending axially of the barrel and through said axial openings and having threaded portions on the opposed ends thereof extending and 'lying Within said respective cylinder members with the ends thereof spaced from the adjacent inner surfaces of the disks, a coil spring on each or the threaded ends of said rod each having one end in engagement with the respective inner closed end of the cylinder member and a nut threadedly connected with each of said opposed ends of the rod and being tightened to engage the opposed ends of each of said coil springs and being adapted to exert a compressing tension force thereon to hold said flanges on said cylinder members in intimate contact with the ends of said barrel.

2. A spool comprising a circular tubular barrel portion of relatively rigid material having relatively flat end portions in normal relation with the longitudinal axis of the barrel, a pair of disk-like head portions each having a recess on the inner side surface thereof, spaced openings extending therethrough in a circumferential path and a central opening therein, a cylinder member of rigid material having a rigid closed inner end wall press ttcd internally of each of the ends of said main barrel portion, a ange of rigid material on each of said cylinder members extending outwardly substantially normal tothe axis of said member and engaging the respective relatively ilat ends of the barrel portion and lying within the recesses of said respective head portions and' in substantially flush relation with the inner surfaces of said head portions, said anges being spaced inwardly from the adjacent outer ends of the cylinder members with said ends protruding outwardly and lying within the central opening in the respective head portions, said flanges having spaced openings therein in aligned rela-tion with the openings in the head portions, metallic disksoverlying'the outer surfaces of said head portions and having spaced openings aligned with the openings in said head portions, said disks having a pivot pin extending outwardly of the central portions thereof in aligned axial relation with the axis of the main barrel portion, washerlike. members positioned on said pins and secured in engaging relation with the respective disks, means extending through. the aligned openings in said flange, head portion andidisks for securing them together, said inner closed ends of said cylinder members having axial openings therein, a single rigid rod extending axially of said barrel portion through said axial openings and having threaded portions on the ,opposed ends thereof extending and lying within said respective cylinder members with the ends thereof spaced from the adjacent inner surfaces of said disks, a coil spring on each of the ends of said rod within said cylinder members each having one end in engagement with the respective inner closed end of lthe cylinder member and an adjustable nut threadedly connected with each of said opposed ends of the rod and engaging the opposed ends of each of said coil springs and being adapted to beadjusted to exert a compressing tension thereon -to hold said flanges on said cylinder members in intimate contact with the ends of the barrel.

3. A spool comprising a circular tubular lbarrel portion of relatively rigid material having relatively normally d-is.- posed at end portions, a pair of circular disk-like head portions of rigid material each having a recess on the inner side surface thereof, spaced openings extending therethrough in a circumferential path and a central opening therein, a cylinder member of rigid material press fitted internally of each of the ends of said main barrel portion and each having a rigidtransversely extending wall with a central opening therein, an outwardly extending flange on each of said cylinder members engaging the respective relatively fiat ends of the barrel portion and lying within the recesses of said respective head portions with the inner surfacesthereof in substantially tlush relation and lying within the central opening in the respective head portions, said flanges having spaced lopenings therein in aligned relation with the openings in the head portions, disks formed of stainless steel overlying the outer surfaces of said head portions and having spaced openings aligned with the openings in said head portions, said stainless steel disks each having a pivot pin extending outwardly of the vcentral portions thereof in substantially aligned axial relation with the axis of the main barrel portion, means extending through the aligned lopenings in said flange, head portion and disks for securing them together, said inner walls of said cylinder members having the central openings therein having a single rigidrod extending axially of said barrel portion through said central openings, said rod having threaded portions on the opposed ends thereof extending and lying within said respective cylinder members with the ends thereof spaced from the adjacent inner surfaces of the disks, a coil spring on each of the ends of said rod lying within said cylinder members each having one end in engagement with the respective inner wall of the cylinder member and an ad ju-stable nut threadcdly connected with each of said opposed ends of the rod and engaging the opposed ends of each of said coil springs and being adapted to exert a compressing tension thereon to retain said flanges in engagement with the fiat ends of the barrel portion.

4. A spool comprising a circular tubular barrel portionl of relativelyrigid material of a controlled diameter and having relatively flat end portions in substantially Onormal relation with the longitudinal axis thereof, a metall-ic cir-V cular cylinder member extendinga substantial distance within each ofthe opposed ends of said tubular barrel portion, a metallic ilang'e of a diameter greater than the diameter of the barrel carriedA by each of said cylinder members at a locationv spacedY inwardly of the-outer ends of said cylinder members and `in relatively intimate'.en-

with the inner surfaces of said head portions, said anges being spaced inwardly from the adjacent outer ends'of` the cylinder members with said ends protruding outwardly gaging relation with therespective flat ends of the barrel, portion, said spacing inwardlyof said ilangesbeing such as to cause the ends of said cylinder members to protrude outwardly of the flanges, each of said cylinder members having a rigid Wall extending transversely adjacent the inner ends. thereof and eachhaving a centralopening therein, a single rigid rod extending axially of said barrel through said respective central openings ,in said rigid walls of said cylinder members and having threaded portions on the opposed ends thereof extending and lying within each of said cylinder members, an adjustable nut on each of said threaded end portions, a coil spring on each of said respective'end portions of the rod internally of said cylinder members and located between said nuts and the in'neiside surfaces of the rigid walls of the cylinder members, a pair of circular head portions of a diameter greater than the flanges each having a recess on the inner side surface thereof adapted to receive the respective iianges with the inner side surfaces of said flanges lying in substantially flush relation with the inner side surfaces of said head porv tions and each having a central opening into which the ends of the cylindrical members which protrude outwardly of the flanges extend, a reinforcing disk of a diameter less than the diameter of the head portions overlying each of the outer surfacesrof said head portions and having a pivot pin extending outwardly thereof in substantially coaxial relation with the axis of the barrel portion with the inner surfaces of said disks lying in adjacent relation with the protruding outer ends of each of the cylinder members,` said disks, head portions and anges having a plurality of spaced aligned openings therein and means extending through said openings for securing said parts together with the inner ends of said means lying in substantially llush relation with the inner surfaces of the disks. l f

5. A spool comprising a circular tubular barrel portion of relatively rigid material of a controlled diameter and having relatively hat endgportions in substantially normal relation with the longitudinal axi s thereof,H a circular cylinder member extending a substantial 'distance within each of the opposed ends of said tubular barrel portion, a ange of a diameter greater than the barrel portion carried by each of said cylinder members at a location spaced inwardly of the outer ends thereof in relatively intimate engaging relation with the respective dat ends of the barrel portion, said spacing inwardly of said Iianges forming protruding outer ends on said cylinder members, each of saidv cylinder members having a rigid wall extending transversely of the inner ends thereof and each having a central opening therein, a single rigid rod extending axially of said barrel through said respective central openings in said rigid walls of said cylinder' mem-ber and having threaded portions on the opposed ends thereof extending and lying within each of said cylinder members, an adjustable nut on each of said threaded end portions, a coil spring on each of said respective end. portions of the rod located within the cylinder men,- bers and between saidL nuts and the inner rigid walls of the cylinder members, a pair of head portions each hay ing a recess on the inner surface thereof adapted to receive the respective ilanges with the inner surfaces of said anges lying in substantially Hush relation with the inner surfaces of said head portions and each having a central opening into which the protruding outer end portions of the cylinder members extend, a disk of a diameter greater than the barrelA overlying each of the outer surfaces of said head portions and having a pivot pin extending outwardly thereof in a substantial-ly co-axial relation with the axis of the barrell portion with the inner surfaces of,v said disks lying in adjacent relation with the outer ends` o f each of the cylinder members said disks, head. Portions and flanges having a plurality f spaced aligned openings therein, means extending throughv said openings for securing said parts together with the'inner endsn of said means lying in substantially flush relation withl the inner` surfaces of the disksl and a washerlike member positioned on each ofj said pivot pins and in scoured relation with 4the outer surfaces of said respective disks and being of a thickness such that its outer surface lies in a plane outwardly ofv the, outer ends of said means- 6. A spool comprising. a circular tubular barrel, portion of relatively rigid material of a controlled diameter and having relatively dat end portions in substantially normal'relation with the longitudinal axis thereof, a cylinder member of rigid material extendingA a substantial distance within each of the opposed ends of said tubular barre-l portion, a Harige, carried by eachl of said cylinder members at a location spaced inwardly ofthe outer ends thereof in relatively intimate engaging 'relation with the respective dat ends of the barrel portion, said inward spacing of said flanges forming protruding outer ends on said cylinder members, eachof said cylinder members having a rigidk wall extending transversely of the inner endsV thereof and each havinga central opening therein, a single rigid rod extending axially of the barrel through said respective central openings in said :rigid walls of said cylinder members and having threaded portions on the opposed ends thereof extending and lying within each of said cylinder members, an adjustable nut on each of said threaded end portions, a coil spring on each of said respective end portions of the rod located inwardly of said cylinder members and between said nuts and the inner rigid walls of the cylinder members, a pair of rigid head portion of a diameter larger than said flanges each having a recess on the inner surface thereof adaptedto receive the respective anges with the inner surfaces of said flanges lying in substantially llush relation with the inner surfaces of said head portions, said head portions having a central openingY into which the protruding ends of the cylinder members extend, a disk overlying each of the outer surfaces of said head portions and having a pivot pin extending outward# lyl thereof in substantially `cti-axial relation with the axis of the barrel portion with the inner surfaces of said disks lying in adjacent relation with the outer ends of cach of the cylinder members, said disks, head portions and flanges having a plurality of spaced aligned openings therein, means extending through said openings for securing said parts together with the inner ends of said means lying in substantially ush relation with the inner surfaces of Vthe disks and a sleeve of rigid material press fitted within 4the respective ends of the barrel portion between the inner surfaces of said ends and the respective cylinder members, said outer ends of said sleeves being in substantially flush relation with the respective adjacent outer ends of the barrel portion.

7. A spool comprising a circular tubular lbarrel portion of a relatively rigid material of a controlled diameter and having relatively at end portions in substantially normal relation with the longitudinal axis thereof, a cylinder member of rigid |material extending a substantial distance within each of the opposed ends of said tubular 'Darrel portion,Y a ange vcarriedjby each of said cylinder members, at a location spaced inwardly of the outer ends thereof and having a at inner surface in a relatively intimate engaging relation with the respective dat ends of the barrel portion, cach of said cylinder members having a rigid wall extending transversely thereof and each having a central opening therein, a single rigid rod extending axially of the barrel through said respective central openings in said rigid walls of said cylinder members and having threaded portions on the opposed ends thereof extending and lying within each of said cylinder members, an adjustable nut on each of said threaded end por tions, a coil spring on each of said respective end por tions of the rod located inwardly of said cylinder members and between said nuts and the rigid walls of the cylinder members, a pair of circular head portions of rigid material of a diameter greater than the anges eachA having a recess on the inner surface Ithereof of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the flanges adapted to receive the respective flanges with the inner surfaces of said flanges lying in substantially flush relation with the inner surfaces of said head portions and each having' a central opening therein into which the protruding outer ends of the cylinder members extend,V a disk of a diameter less than the diameter of the head portions overlying each of the outer surfaces of said head portions and having a pivot pin extending outwardly thereof in substantially co-axial relation with the axis of the @barrel portion with the inner surfaces of said disks lying in adjacent relation with the outer ends of each of the cylinder members, said disks, head portions and flanges having a plurality of spaced aligned openings therein, means extending through said openings for securing said parts together with the inner ends of said means lying in substantially ush relation with the inner surfaces of the disks and a sleeve of rigid material press tted within the respective ends of the barrel portion between the inner surfaces of said ends and the respective cylinder members, said outer ends of said sleeves being in substantially flush relation with the respective adjacent outer ends of the barrel portion and said cylinder members being tapered inwardly relative to the respective sleeves to provideI a tapered surface between said cylinder members and said sleeves with the outer end portions of said cylinder members being of substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter ofthe outer ends of said sleeves.

References Cited in the tile of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,425,821 Rancourt Aug. 19, i947 2,690,312 Watson Sept. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 797,926 GreatBritain July-9, 1958 

